Food & Drink Federation Launches 2030 Sustainable Strategy
The Food and Drink Federation has unveiled an ambitious sustainability plan highlighting systemic change towards the sector's future
The food and drink industry, has reached a critical juncture. During a notable strategy launch by the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in London Zoo, industry leaders emphatically voiced the urgent need for a transformative approach to sustainability, moving away from incremental adjustments.
With the global challenges of resource security, environmental degradation and social inequality converging upon the food and drink sector, FDF's event brought together experts across various realms - commercial, non-profit and political. The discussions were grounded in reality, stressing the critical nature of these industries to human existence.
Mike Barry, chairing the event, set a powerful tone for the day with his proclamation: "Incrementalism is dead." To elucidate, he revived an age-old MI5 notion that paints a stark picture of vulnerability: the UK is merely "four meals from anarchy." Hunger inevitably leads to social unrest, making the sustainability of supply chains and conversely, sustainable agriculture, non-negotiable.
Such dramatic yet factual assertions underlined the presentations and discussions, giving weight to the forward-looking Ambition 2030 strategy introduced at the event.
Crafting pillars for future sustainability
The newly unveiled Ambition 2030 is structured around five strategic pillars, which are essential to reshaping the future of the food and drink industry towards sustainable practices and standards.
- Achieving net zero: With the sector responsible for nearly a quarter of national carbon emissions, its commitment to drastically reduce this number is critical.
- Nature restoration: The federation advocates strongly for regenerative agriculture, which supports environmental recovery and sustainability, although it sparked discussions concerning a need for clearer definitions and measurable standards.
- Sustainable commodities: Tackling the deforestation linked to agricultural expansion is fundamental, as this issue largely stems from industry practices.
- Food waste reduction: Addressing consumer behaviour is key, with immense amounts of edible food discarded yearly.
- Packaging reform: The challenge of unnecessary and non-recyclable packaging is significant, underscoring the need for innovative solutions in packaging.
Data and supply chain sustainability
The event also spotlighted the critical role of data in achieving these ambitious goals. Discussions revealed that the current proportions of time allocated to data gathering versus actionable sustainability are disproportionate - a sentiment reflected in the Pareto Principle cited by attendees.
Addressing the lack of data standardisation which hampers effective communication and integration across the industry was another key point. Panelists suggested that more governmental support and initiatives could enhance the capability of data to drive meaningful change.
This split (also called the Pareto Principle) is shown in data analysis teams, where analysts spend 80% of their time finding and organising data rather than performing meaningful analysis.
"We’ve talked a lot about data here today; I’m a bit of a data sceptic. You need data to start with, but you don’t need it to be perfect,” said Simon Hodgson, Founder of market-leading sustainability consultancy SLR.
Nestlé emphasises supplier collaboration and long-term vision for sustainable supply chain
Supply chain sustainability also featured prominently, with insights shared on the complexities and varied sustainability practices across different suppliers and regions. Emma Keller from Nestlé illuminated strategies employed in partnering with suppliers to incentivise and implement sustainable practices effectively.
"Voluntary action is always going to be important," Emma said, addressing the balance between industry leadership and regulation. "We need leaders to show what is possible, then policy will follow. We recognise that, as Nestlé, we have more resources than other companies, so we should be taking that step forward."
In wrapping up, the Ambition 2030 strategy calls for an industry-wide collaboration and a unified approach to data and sustainability standards. Yet, as Mike Barry keenly observed, the sector must aim even beyond 2030, thinking ahead to 2035 and further, ensuring the approach matches the magnitude of the challenges faced.
Make sure you check out the latest edition of Food Digital and also sign up to our global conference series - Sustainability LIVE 2024
Food Digital is a BizClik brand
